ook out for him," said Bevins, hastily. "He's fixin' to do for
ye. We've run away from Mr. Peth. Shope and Pennock are here with
me. We don't want no trouble. We want to come back aboard for duty.
But have an eye out for the skipper. He's lookin' for Mr. Peth to
come out, but we got the dinghy."

"We stood in with him for gold," said another voice, pleadingly.
"But when it come to makin' trouble for you folks, we ain't for
it."

"Come up closer so I can look into the boat," commanded Trask.

"You better lock the skipper in his room," said Bevins. "We don't
want to come aboard if he's going to make a row. He's a slick one,
and he thought we stood in with him--thought we'd come out with Mr.
Peth to put you ashore, but we give 'em the dish--Mr. Peth and the
nigger. You better git the skipper or he'll be down on ye."

They pulled the boat in, and under Trask's orders walked about the
bottom, to prove that there was no one lying hidden under their
feet.

"You may come aboard, Bevins," said Trask finally. "But the others
stay where they are a few minutes. If they attempt to rush, they'll
get shot."

"Git the skipper before I come," begged Bevins. "Git him while he's
asleep. Don't take no chances. He's up to maroon ye all."

"We've got the skipper," said Trask, grimly. "Don't worry about
him. He is dead."

There were exclamations of surprise and joy from the boat.

"Ye done for him? No foolin'?" asked Bevins.

"No doubt about it. Come aboard and see for yourself."

"Ye won't make no trouble for us for what we done if we come for
duty?"

"Not if you help us get back to Manila, and make no more trouble."

"We don't want no trouble, honest to Gawd!" said Shope.

"Mr. Peth he got us to go ashore just for fun," said Bevins. "I
know we had no call for doin' of it but he said we'd be back in the
mornin'. Said the skipper give orders for it."

"We'll call it square if you men turn to," said Trask. "But if
there's any more trouble the first man to start it, follows Jarrow.
You'll have to understand that before you come aboard. We're all
armed and you'll have to be searched."

"That's fair," said Bevins. "I'll come first. I ain't got no arms."

They worked the boat aft to where the pilot-ladder was and Bevins
came up. Trask searched him from head to toe while Locke and Tom
kept watch on the others in the dinghy.

Trask believed that Bevins was telling the truth. His warning about
the captain and his reluctance to